Gear changing mechanism for shaping machines



Aug. 17, 1948. G. DAVENPORT 2,447,317

GEAR CHANGING MECHANISM FOR SHAPING MACHINES Filed Oct. 18, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE N'iOR a; W M

ATTORNEY G. DAVENPORT v 2,447,317

GEAR CHANGING MECHANISM FOR SHAPING MACHINES I Filed Oct. 18 1945 .2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY azg f ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1948 GEARCHANGING MECHANISM FOR SHAPING MACHINES Granger Davenport, Montclair, N.J assignor to Gould & Eberhardt, Incorporated, 'Irvington, N. J acorporation of New Jersey Application October 18, 1945, Serial No.623,052

cams. (01. 74-342) The present invention relates to shaplng'ma chinetools and is concerned more particularly with the shaper ramdrivingtransmissions and their controls.

A primary aim of the invention is to obtain; in

a machine of this class, a wider selection of incrementally closerspeed-changes than has hereto'fore been Considered practical, incombination with a simple method and means of selecting and shifting thespeed-change gears, therebyto render available an improved shapingmachine having the capacity, range, and ease of control essential tomeet current needs of industry. 7

A further aim of the invention is to render available a shaping machineinwhich the shaper ram may be operated at anyone of 16 different speeds,and in which the average increment between changes is approximately only19%. A shaper transmission designed in accordance with this invention,enables the operator to select more closely the proper tool speed andthereby take advantage of the full capabilities of the tool with respectto each particular grade and quality of the material to be operatedupon. With the prior commercial machine the speed-changes wererelatively few and coarsely graded so that only a rough approximation ofthe proper tool speed was obtainable and the quality of tooling and rateof production on such machines, has sufiered. V In carrying out theobjectives of this invention it is proposed to construct-threespeed-change mechanisms in series within the main frame of the machinein such a way that sixteen selective paci'ty and to aid the operator insetting the machine for a given type of work, one of the control leversis connected and adapted to operate the shiftable gear unit of the backgears (coarse changes) as well as the shiftable unit of the primary set(fine changes) Accordingly, With a machine embodying this invention, theoperator may quickly change from a relatively slow speed to a relativelyhigh speed, or efiect a small change in either, by actuating only one ofthe levers. Set-up and operating time can thereby be measurablyshortened for the more frequently used changes are controlled by onelever. V

"Cooperatively related with the gear shift control levers, improveddirect reading indicator dial means have been provided whereby theoperator can instantly determine the speeds available and in whatpositions to place either or both levers to speeds are readily availableand with only four pairs of gear teeth in' contact at any onetime.Briefly, the primary change speed mechanism of the series is arranged toafford two relatively fine changes in speed, the secondaryspeed ,changemechanism is arranged to afford four additional and medium changes, andthe tertiary or backgear speed change mechanism is arranged to ar fordtwo additionaland coarse changes, making, a total of sixteen speedsavailable. A further feature of the invention resides in animprovedarrangement of the gear shifting controls, more specifically inthe provision of but two control levers for efiecting, with the threeseries mechanisms, any one of the sixteen speeds, eachlever havingcompletely selective movements in two .direction and controlling fourspeed changes. By way of additional improvement, the gearing. of thethree series transmissions are arranged so that. any speed may bequickly selected without going through-the-intermediate changes. Towardincreasing the machine production caobtainadesired machine speed. As theseveral speed change mechanisms are in'series, the positioning of therespective shiftable gears thereof jointly determine the final speed,and itis convenientytherefore, with a two lever control, to associate adial with each lever and to indicate thereon the setting or positionrequired of the re-. spective levers, and to arrange and mark one of thedials to show the required positions of both of the controls and the 16different rates of speed that are obtainable by their propermanipulation.

"Other objects and advantages Will be in part indicated in thefollowingdescription and in part rendered apparent therefrom in connection withthe annexed drawings.

To enable" others skillediin the art so fully to apprehend theunderlying features hereof that they may embody the same in the vari-ousways contemplated by this invention, draw ingsdepicting a preferredtypical construction have been annexed as apart of this disclosure and,in such drawings, like characters of reference denote correspondingparts throughout all the views, of

which- Figure 1 is a side view of portion of a "shaping machineembodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is 'a transversesectional view of the machine illustrating thegearing in developed; form more clearly to show the mating gears of theseveral series'related change-speed mechanisms.

Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views, on an enlarged scale-of an improved formof speed indicating dials for. a two-lever "16-speed control.

' Referring to the drawings,-.the-part numbered l0. represents the.shaping machine .base [from which .rises amain frame ll. The front ofthe frame has vertical guides l2 thereon and along The ra-m drivingmeans comprises impart slotted pitman lever l6, whoselowenend is pivotedat I! to the main frame.

'The upper end.

of the lever is connected to a link I8 'WhlCh lnrtuI n:

connects to the ram through the medium Of an adjustable bearing block19. The-mainportiorr? of the pitman sweep across the face of a pairoflarge crank gears 29 and 2| both of which are mounted on the shapercrank gearshaf t I5? Gear 21 carries-a .radiallyiadjust'able. crank pin2 2 that operates in a slide block fitted to theslot 2'3'in' thepitman'lever. Shaft l5 issa powerta'k'e ofi shaft; the-crankgearsrevolve, the pivoted pitman is cause'dlto oscillate and' in so doing, topropel'the ram and'its tool back. and forth across the work; Ifdsiredreference may be had to th-epaten-ts to Zimmerman'niNOs. 1,960,565and'2,077,7'30.for additionaldetails' concerning the work table feedmeans and the parts thus far mentioned.

The primary. aim of the invention is to provide in a machineof"this'character, a relatively large number of closelygradedl speedchanges with a simple method? of shifting-so that'the operator canreadilygandf with ease obtain the best cutting speed for. a givenoperation. In amachine constructed in accordance with this invention, 16speeds have beenmade available, employing but t'woleve'rs for shifting.andlwherehy. closer and more exact control of rate without confusion theselectingfthereof, has been' madepossibl'ev A preferred manner. inwhich. these. results have. heen= accomplished... is illustrated most.clearly in the seotionalview shown hy Fig.2 In this figure, thelowermost-shaft. ablisthe main drivelor power shaft thatbringspowerintothemachine andthe housingel. containsa main.drivepulley and mastenclutch. The-pulley.- and.c1utch are. of. conventional designvandltheref'oranot. shown. The clutch is operated tfrom theoper-atonslsideof. the machine by means of a main contr-ollleverv 32'.-

The lower end of the leverBZis connected-by a-- fork--33 .withaeomb-ined brake and .clutchshifter spool 34? When themain-clutchis-effectivethe. powerinshaft- 30 is-transmitted to-a-secondparallelwshaft 40,-. through -.a primary. 'setof. change gearsShaftAO-ds-adapted.to transmit power toathird parallel shaftill; througha-secondary. change speed set-marked Y, and the. power in shaft: 50'" istransmitted to -the:crankgears 20; 21- through a third change-speed setmarked Z. The change-speedrmechanisms X, Yand Z,.are.-'in' series withone another; the first". setvyieldin'gitwot speeds, the second set 4speeds; an'd'athe' third? set two speeds;- making ld sp'e'eds'in allavailable;

The=primary speed change mechanism)?- com prises= a. double ge'ar' unit-3 5 secured to thesha-ft 311i and a slidable' double-gear unit 46 thatis splin'ed" to the shaft" 40$ has two efiectivepositions;right"(asshow1r), and" t'dthe' extreme 'left from. the positionillustrated. These gears being" the furtherest from the output end .ofthe transmission; are ar'rarrged to provide Theslidable unit 46" .4 tworelatively fine changes in speed. Representative gear ratios for thegears of the set X are 30 33 T and T, QP

The second speed change mechanism Y, referred to also astransmissiongears, is. com-posed of two double gear, independentlyslidable, units 4| and 43 splined upon the shaft 40. Complementarydouble gear units 52 and 54, fixed upon the shaft complete the set, andtogether afford ffiur' medium changes in speed in series with those oftliespeed change set X. The gears of this set are,.,for.. example,.rationed The shaft 50" is furnished with a wide faced pinionigear 5|which is continuously meshed by a gear 62 of a double gear'slidable unit63 mounted upon the shaft 60-. The other gear B l-of the.slidable-unitis illustrated in mesh withthe large crankgear-ZI When theunit 63' is shifted'alongthe shaft 60 to its other extreme position (tothe right) the gear 6415. moved out of mesh with the crank gear 2I-andthe gear 62' of. the shiftable unit is brought into mesh with the.smaller crank. gear 20 while continuing in engagement-with the. widefaced pinion 5|. This change speed. set, referredto also as-back gears,provide two relatively coarse changes in speed thereby doubling theeight moderate. changes obtainable with. the change-speed setsXandYVThe-loackgears, in effect, divide the 16 speeds into'oner group of 8speeds and another group. offs-speeds. Thegear ratioyields a total. of.sixteen speeds which differ by. an average increment ofapproxirnately19%.

The shafts 30, 40, and-5B are journaledagainst endwise. movement inanti-friction radial thrust bearings -35and. 36 fittedto recesses-inthemain frame-H.- Threaded bushings 3-1 are providedto. lock the partsin position. The. crank gears. 2-0, 2 lare-secured to. arelativelylarge. hub member 'lfl'that is journaled in themainframe-whollyto. one side'of theplane of the gears whereby the innerside of the gearllis cleared for theoscih lation of. the. pitman. leverl6. acrossthe. center thereof;

In the: three serially related. change-speed meohanismsreferred tovthere arefour inclepend ently, and. selectively shifta ble. compoundfgear units. 46 41, 43and 63; each having two. effective.positions. Gearunits 44 and 43', .however, each has also anint'ermediate orneutrallfposition, for only one. gear of. those. four can be. effectiveat any one time.

Referring. first J. to. the shiftabl'e. units of: the transmissiongears, set Y, eachunit 4114'3" thereof'lisstraddled by a shifter fork 44and 451 respectively. Each shifter forkflis secured to an axially.movable shaft 4'! and 48, respectively;

which are journaled in bearings provided by the mainframe; Thesha'fts 41and 48 extend toward the operators side of. the machine" and arenotchedout' as at 49to' receive; selectively; the end of an actuatinglever'55'. The lever'55issecur'ed to. a rotatable and axiallyv movablecontrol shaft 56' j ournaled in" a' cover member I l The upper" end ofthe control shaft is bent laterally and provides the operator with a=hand grip portion 56 The shifterrods 41 --an'd=4'B"are; as illustratedin* the drawings, relatively closely spaced apart, and on1y-when'-then'ot'ches 49* in their ends" are aligned' with one another (gear' units41 and 43inineutralpositionsrmaythe'acchange mechanism Y.

tuating leverj55be shiftedvertically from one notchto the other.:Whenthe lever 55 is engaged in: the'notch in one ofthe shifter rods, aturning of the control shaft'angularly effects a lateral shifting of oneof 'thegear units M, 43 toone of its effective positions. -A compressionspring 51, underlying the actuating. lever 55,-; absorbs the Weight ofthe lever and the shaft -'56. Spring pressed ball detent means 58cooperatively related to three V-notches provided in each of the shiftershafts 41, 48, serve as position indicating and retaining'means for eachof the three positions of the respective shiftable gear units ll, 43.With thecontrol means arranged as described, an interlocking ofg-theshifter rods automatically is effected'which prevents simultaneous orconcurrent shifting of both shiftable units of the speed Such aninterlocking is not required in respect to the shiftable units of thechange speed sets X andZ,- for the reason that the shiftable unitsthereofhare'in different; tho serially arranged, changespeed-transmissions. With a view toward simplification of'the controls,the control lever for-the primary change speed set X, is arranged alsoto'control the back gear set Z,'and tohave rotary and axial movementsimilar tothemovements "of the control shaft 55 previously eX- plainedg.Referring to Fig. 2, the shiftable compound gear,unit 46 of'theprimaryspeed change set X, is ,straddledby a shifter fork 65' that iscarried by a shiftable rack bar 66. The outer toothed endo'f-therack'bar is meshed by the teeth of a gear 61. whichis pinned to atransverse shaft 63.

Theshaft 68 also has'pinion teeth 69 therein which arecontinuouslymeshed by annular rack teeth 1| provided on a vertically extendingcontrol shaft 12. Vertical movement of the control shaft v'l2'will, itwill be apparent, effect a lateral shifting .of'the slidable gear unit4%. Spring pressed ball detent means 13, in cooperation with annular.V-grooves 14, indicate and retain the control shaft in shifted position,while allowing for unrestricted angular movement thereof in either axialposition.

The referred to rotational movement of the control shaft 721s, in thisembodiment ofthe invention, utilized to effect shifting of thebackgearishiftableunit 63. To that end, the upper portion of the controlshaft 72 has secured thereto a.wide faced pinion gear l5 that meshescontinuously with rack teeth out upon a back-gear shifter shaft 16. Theshaft E5 is journaled in bearings provided by the main frame and coverelements of the machine, and carries a shifter fork 11 that straddlesthe gear 62 of the slid-able unit. Rotary motion of the control shaft12, will through the rack andpinion mechanism described, effect ashifting-0f the slidableback gear; unit,, without disturbing theposition of the shiftable'unit 35 of the primary change speed set X.Spring pressed ball detent means 18 and V-notches 19 formed in the rackshaft l6, indicate and retain, the back gear unit 63 in shiftedpositions The, upper end of the control shaft 12, is laterally .bentand.provides. a hand grip portion 12 for effecting the rotary and axialshifting thereof. The weight of the control shaft 12 is absorbed by acompression spring 89 positioned under the pinion 15.

With the foregoing described control, axial movement of the controlshaft 12, effects shifting of the gears of the primary set X and effectsfine changes in speed, and rotational movement of the control shaftindependently effects shifting of the back gear set Z and effects coarsechanges in ram speed. This arrangement has the advan tage, not only of asingle lever control for two series arranged change speed mechanisms,but the further advantage of enabling the operator tochange quickly fromlow speed to high speed, or to obtain only a small change in the rate oftool movement when in either the high or low speed range, by actuatingbut a single lever.

As operation of the two control" levers 5.6 and 32 is required to effecta given ram speed, an improved form of dial indicating means-is providedto "assist the'operator in obtaining the proper selection andpositioning of'the'fle'vers. Associated with each lever is a two-leveldial plate; plate surrounds the control: 'shaft'12 and plate I ill)surrounds-the control-shaft 'SB. The upper level 9| of plate 90 isdivided-into two segments A and C and thelower levelf'92, is dividedintotwo segments B and D. Preferably the segments are painted contrastingcolors such as red and yellow, and blue and black respectively. A doubleended pointer 93 is carried by the control shaft 12 which, whenpositioned in the plane of the upper level 91 of the dial and turned toA or C, indicates thatthe primary gears and back gears are shifted'to Arange or C range. If the control shaftis shifted-axially downwardly, theother end of the pointer aligns with the level 92 of the dial andindicates speed ranges B or D. The A and B ranges, in this embodiment,comprise thefrelatively low speed group and the C and D ranges'therelatively" high speed group, and the average difference between groupsis relatively great, whereas, asbetween the speeds of ranges A and B andas between the speeds of ranges C and D, the increments of speed changeare relatively small. In other words, rotation of the control shaft 12effects the coarse changes, andaxial shifting o the control shafteffects the fine changes. The markings AD of the indicating dial 9!! arecarried over to the dial I00, which also is formed in two levels It,I02, and the group of legends A--D is marked upon the upper level aswell as upon the lower level, asshown in' Fig. 4. The control shaft 56(for "the transmission gears Y) carries a double-endedpointer I833 thatoperates through a central slot H14 in the plate when shifting the shaftaxially from the upper level to the lower level and which can occur onlywhen-both gear units 4| and 43 are in inter-' mediate or neutralpositions. AsilIustratedin Fig. 4, the 16 rams speeds, in strokes perminute,

are applied to the dial in radiating rows il'1-' dicative of the angularposition required of the control shaft pointer I93, in adjustedpositions;

' The machine is controlled as followsz, With back-gear lever l2positioned,''- for example; in

range A, and the intermediate gear lever .Eli directed toward theradialcolumn headed by the number I5, the ram speed will be 15 strokes perminute. slightly, by shifting the back geari'controlhandle l2?downwardly (torange B) giving 18'jstrokes per minute, .or the rate maybe greatlyincreased, by rotating the handle l2 from range position A toposition C. If an intermediate but greater increment of rate change isdesired, the other control handle 56 is rotated or shifted axially tobring the pointer thereof in registry with a selected row of speedmarkings, the particular speed resulting being the one indexed by oneof.

each of vertically I This machine speed maybe changed the charactersA--D, preselected by the control lever 12*. Any speed, within thecapacity of the machine, may be obtained by the conjoint operation ofthe two control levers, without proceeding through an intermediate orseries of intermediate changes. customarily, however, the operator willdisengage the power from the machine by operating the clutch controllever 32, before attempting to shift the gears.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthis invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readilyadapt it for various utilizations by retaining one or more of thefeatures that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constituteessential characteristics of either the generic or specific aspects ofthis invention and, therefore, such adaptations should be, and areintended to be, comprehended Within the meaning and range of:equivalency of the following claims.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to securethe following com binations and elements, or equivalents thereof,byLetters Patent of the United States:

1-. A shaping machine combining a transmission embodying but threeserially related sets of change-speed mechanisms for reciprocating theram at any selected one of sixteen speeds, each of" said first and thirdsets of change speed mechanisms of the series affording but two changesin speed, and the intermediate set of change-speed mechanisms affordingbut four changes in speed, control means for the intermediate changespeed mechanisms, and control means common to bot the first and thirdsets of change speed mechanisms of the-series embodying a rotatable andaxially movable lever and connections therewith responsive to rotationalmovement of the lever to one of the change-speed mechanisms, andadditional connections therewith responsive to axial movements of saidlever to the other of the change-speed mechanisms.

2. Shaping machine drive and control means combining a main drive powershaft, a second sh'aft in parallelism therewith, power transmittinggearing between said shafts comprising but two gears fixed to said powershaft and a com pound shiftable gear unit splined to said second shaftand adapted for meshing selectively with said fixed gears and affordingbut two relatively fine changes in speed; a third shaft and powertransmitting gearing between said second and said third shaft comprisingbut four gears fixed to the said third shaft and a pair of compoundshiftable gear units splined to said second shaft and adapted for:selective meshing with the gears on said third shaft and affordingbutfour intermediate changes in speed; a shaper crank gear shaft andpower transmitting gearing between said third shaft and said crank gearshaft comprising ashiftable compound gear unit operative to transmitpower from said third shaft to said crankgear shaftand. affording buttwo relatively coarse changes in speed, and. control means adapted formanual operation to shift the said shiftable gear units comprising twolevers each operatively connected to but two of said four *shiftableunits and conjointly operable to obtain any one of the sixteen speedsavailable.

3. In a shaping machine. embodyingit'hree 'serl ally arranged.change-speed mechanismsaffording respectively but two changes inspeed,each relatively fine; but four changes insp'eed', each relativelymedium; and but two changes in-spee'd; each relatively coarse;. thecombination of a single lever control meansfor effecting the two fine aswell as the two coarse changes, and a second single lever control meansfor effecting the four medium changes, andindicator means associatedwith one of said levers fo'r'in'dioating the operating positions.required of both of said levers for machine operation at any ofthesixteen' rates of speedavailable with said series transmissions;

l. A shaping machine havingbut three distinct sets of change speed.mechanisms in series forpropelling the shaperram and in which the firstand third sets of change-speed mechanisms each embody a compoundshiftabletwo gear unit, and the intermediate change-speedv mechanism-1embodies two compound shiftable two gear units, each of the shiftableunitsiof'i said change speed mechanisms having two selectively effectivepositions, combining means comprising a rotatable and axially shiftablecontrol lever operatively connected with the shiftable units of saidfirst and third change-speed mechanisms for shifting said unitsselectively, and a second rotatable and axially shiftable lever adaptedto be operatively connected with either of the shiftable: units cf saidintermediate change speed mechanism for:

shifting the said unit to an effective position selectively, meansassociated with each of said levers indicating the speed ranges whensaid 1evers are in their respective axial positions, and direct readingspeed indicatormeans associated? with one of said levers indicating.theparticularf speed obtainable when both of said levers are'in a givenrotary and axial position.

5. In a shaper; a power-shaft; a first, a sect-i 0nd and a thirdintermediate shaft each ofsaid': shafts being rotatably mounted; twounitary pairs of change gears between the power-shaft" and the firstintermediate shaft; four unitary pairs of change gears between thefirstand se=c:- 0nd intermediate shafts and rotatable therewith; a pair ofreduction gears between the: second and third intermediate shafts; apower'take off' shaft; and reduction gears affording two speed.

changes directly between the third intermediate shaft and saidpowertake-ofi shaft.

GRANGER DAVENPORT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecordiin" the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS"

